The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-01-13
PRECIOUS STONES.

Many OF Them That Are Little
KNOWN But Very valuable-How
Diamonds Are Classined--Thc
Emerald and the Sapphire.
mfr. VIII Oskamp, what is one of
the peculiarities of your business?''
Our people have to be educated in
the matter of approaching certain valu-
able stones. The people of London
and New York are thoroughly posted
on the subject of stones, and therefore
| they know the value of them. Out
here the diamond is looked apon as the
most valuable; in fact, the only really
precious stone that there is. AS con-
! sequence we labor under disadvan-
tage, as compared with dealers in the
east. OF course. 1 know that there are
| some here who are informed on the
| subject of precious stones. but l mean
that as class our people have much to
learn. For instance, if l were to ask
almost anybody that came in here if he
would like to buy an Alexandria he
would not know what l meant
''Iell me something about gems?"
What is an Alcxandritc?''
lit is dark green in color in day.
light and dark red at night. 1t is
named after the car of Russia, and
ows its celebrity to its prominent hues
of red and green, the chosen emblema-
tic colors of that empires flag"
lis it true that you can't break q
diamond?''
"A diamond will crack or break as
! any other stone, but the cracking will
reduce $1,000 to nothing, spite of the
vulgar tradition that you cant break a
diamond Only about one in ten is
royal the others being black and col
! ored (useful in the arts)."
''How 40 you get at the value of
diamonds?'
The valuation of gems is arbitrary,
depending On many considerations.
Among them is wafer If perfectly
limpid like Il drop of the purest water
it is classed first water Color comes
next. Colorless ranks highest, whitish
next, while the merest suspicion of
green or blue rather brightens the
rank of the white stones Rose comes
next. and then yellow or amber, but
they must all be perfect in water and
f1awless to rank among the first class. "
''What about agates?'
''Ihey are translucent-all colors.
Agates are built up layer on layer.
sometimes hundreds to the inch. Those
stained by manganese or iron in moss
like figures and veins (moss agatcs).
sometimes closely resembling persons
and things, command very high prices.
Can you give me chapter on the
amethyst?'
'it is transparent purple or violet in
color. A cluster as mined generally
contains other crystals of blue, green,
yellow, red, gray and white. The red
crystals are properly rose quartz the
c|ouded ones smoky quartz; the green
arc praise, the yellow false topaz and
the perfectly clear are rock crystals.
The finest rock crystals are found in
great numbers near Hot Springs, Ark,
IN Diamond mountain
"What is hard stone aside from the
diam ond?''
''The aqumarine-a transparent beryl
of greenish blue. 1t is lovely stone
sister of the emerald. and verv hard.
1t will cut all the amethysts, but not the
topaz. and is not affected by acids. The
chrysoberyl (cat's eye) is very hard, but
ranks below saphires, rubies, etc. 1t is
transparent to translucent green in
many shades. The chrysoprase is ap-
pie green, and some stones are very
beautiful and highly valued"
How does the emerald rank?''
1.-The translucent or subtransparent
and green variety of the beryl. Just as
the aquamcrinc is the transparent and
blue variety, but it is very much more
highly pr zed, Elneralds rank next to
the diamonds, ruby, and finer sapphire
Oriental emerald is the green sapphire
very rare, very beautiful and valu;-
ble.''
care there stones that can be passed
for another?'
1.-The garnet, which, is transparent
and red, depends upon its value alto
gether on its looks, foc it can often pass
as ruby
what is bloodStonc?"
"A variety of chalc.dony OF deep
green color vari1ated with blood-red or
yel!owish spots! 1t is properly called
heliotrope"
Name some other stones. I've run
out. -
"There IS the hyacintl, cinnamon
stone, transparent, yellow, red, and
brown. There are garnet hvacinths
and zircon hyacinths. Aithoug III its in
trinsic qualities ought to rank the zircon
hyacinths first the market rates it sec
ond. Then there is the legalitH (blue
spa). translucent and deep blue. Only
the fine varieties are valued for lew
elers' purposes. Next the malachitc,
translucent green, used for clocks,
vases and parlor ornaments, slabs, etc.
Mexican onyx, translucent greenish
white. with veins OF all colors. makes
lovely paper weights, inkstands, pipe
bowls, etc The onyx is constructed in
films or layers of different colors like
the agate, except that in the onyx the
films are laid flat, while in the agate
they are like the Feelings of an onion.
The onyx is chiefly valued for cutting
canoes. The choice colors in true
onyx are white, black, and brown.
Sardonyx has also film of carnclian
red. The opal is transparent white,
pale yellow. grey, green, and red. 1t
owes its value to its peculiar power of
exhibiting wonderful play of coiors
as it is turned to various angles. The
most remarkable is the frc-opal. Prcc-
ious opal is the very finest and most
delicately shaded and tinted of opa!s
Of the ruby there is the spinel, trans
parent light, medium or dark red. The
oriental sapphire ruby is of the same
description, and very difficult to distin-
guish from the sp;nel. 1t is a degree
harder. AS general rule the orientals
are the most valuable. and spinels of